What’s in a word?

Students can tell you…I’m not completely up-to-date on the latest “words.” I am constantly asking, “what does that mean?” (this week is was “fly”) They tell me to use Urban Dictionary.com but that is even more confusing and just takes me deeper into words I do not understand and often draws a reaction from my husband – “What are you reading?!” I think my basic curiosity about connecting through words is what led me to a communication degree.

Of course we all know, it isn’t just the singular word, but how you use it – and the nuances are not always naturally intuitive. Across generations and cultures the meaning of words bend and shape to reflect a specific point in time – but that doesn’t mean we all are speaking the same language. In order to create and maintain a shared dialogue, we must be aware of how the meaning of words evolve. We all know that words can help, hurt, block and cultivate understanding – but sometimes, we forget. It’s not about being politically correct, it’s about being human. That’s what led me to this week’s TED video by Aimee Mullins http://www.ted.com/talks/aimee_mullins_the_opportunity_of_adversity.html . She does a nice job here reframing a word we all know. I hope you enjoy it.